Google’s new Googlebook laptops are finally showing up in stores around the world. The pitch is pretty appealing: a more versatile laptop that sits somewhere between Android and ChromeOS, with deeper ties to your phone, native Android apps, and a bunch of AI tools baked in.

These machines run Googlebook OS, which is built mostly on Android tech but borrows some desktop foundations from ChromeOS. That means they can run regular Android apps natively instead of stuffing them in a container.

But not every Googlebook is created equal. Google confirmed to Android Authority that if you go for an Intel (x86) model instead of a Qualcomm Snapdragon (ARM) one, you’ll run into some limits. Most Android apps were built for the ARM chips that live in phones.

Google says 96.6% of the top 10,000-plus most-used apps still work fine on the Intel versions, but a handful of more complex apps and games need developer updates to run properly on Intel hardware. There’s no public list of which ones yet. Three of the five launch models use Intel chips; the Dell and HP ones are the ARM-powered Qualcomm versions.

The tight phone-to-laptop features also come with a requirement: Android 17. Things like browsing your phone’s files from the laptop, picking up tasks mid-flow with Continue On, syncing notifications, or streaming your phone’s screen and apps to the laptop just aren’t available on older Android versions. That’s a bit of a bummer, since the seamless continuity is one of the big selling points Google keeps highlighting, and Android 17 isn’t exactly everywhere yet.

Google is still supporting Chromebooks on their own track. Some newer ones might even get a path to Googlebook OS later. In the meantime, the company is leaning hard on the long software support (up to 10 years), the premium builds, and the AI focus.

If you’re deep in the Android ecosystem and want that tighter phone-laptop link, Googlebooks are an interesting step. Just be picky about the processor if you care about specific demanding apps or games, and make sure your phone is on Android 17 if you want the full continuity package.

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(Source; Android Authority)

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Samsung has been quietly poking around in a new direction for its laptops, and a mysterious machine just showed up in the Geekbench database that has people talking.

The device is listed as the Samsung XE940XSA, and it’s running Android 17, not Windows, not ChromeOS. That’s a big departure from the previously announced Galaxybooks. It raises a question: Is Samsung about to jump into Google’s new Googlebook category or build its own Android-powered Galaxy Book with One UI features?

Under the hood it’s packing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite (the 12-core “Hamoa” chip), paired with an Adreno X1-85 GPU and 16 GB of RAM. In Geekbench 7 it scored 2,513 single-core and 15,214 multi-core, respectable numbers that put it in the same ballpark as a lot of premium thin-and-lights.

Google only officially launched the Googlebook platform in September with machines from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Those are desktop-style Android devices designed to work closely with phones and get long software support. The Samsung unit’s hardware lines up pretty closely with the Snapdragon-based Googlebooks already out there, which is why a lot of folks are assuming that’s what this is. Then again, Samsung’s been rumored to be working on its own Android Galaxy Books, so this could also be something more independent.

If it does make it to market, it would give Samsung a proper seat at the table in this new class of premium Android notebooks, ones aimed at people who want their laptop to feel like a natural extension of their phone and tablet. Until the company actually confirms anything, though, the XE940XSA is just an intriguing early glimpse at what Samsung’s laptop strategy might look like next.

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(Source: Geekbench)

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Google just made the Chromebook decision a little more complicated. After confirming back in May that it was building an Android-based alternative to ChromeOS, Googlebook is now official, available for pre-order, and set to hit stores on October 4. It’s not a rebrand, either. Google has created a new laptop category with its own operating system, hardware, and features, with prices starting at $899.

The interesting part is that Google isn’t replacing the Chromebook with Googlebook. Both lines are staying around, but they are targeting different sets of users. Chromebooks continue to cover the simpler and more affordable side of Google’s laptop lineup, while Googlebook brings Android, higher-end hardware, and deeper Gemini integration into a more premium package.

So, before you think of Googlebook as simply “the new Chromebook,” here’s a closer look at what actually separates the two.

Two OSes, two different approaches

Chromebooks have always followed a simple formula: open a browser, use cloud-based services, and get on with your work. That hasn’t changed, and it’s one reason you can buy a Chromebook for under $200 and hand it to a student without spending much. Android apps are available on Chromebooks too, but they run inside a separate container. As a result, some apps can still feel like phone software adapted to a larger screen.

Googlebook works differently. It runs Googlebook OS, which combines parts of Android and ChromeOS into a single platform instead of keeping Android apps separate from the main system. Google Play apps are designed to work with a keyboard, mouse, trackpad, and resizable windows. So rather than adding Android apps to a ChromeOS laptop, Google has built Android into the laptop’s operating system.

Gemini goes beyond the sidebar

Chromebook Plus already includes Gemini. You can open the sidebar, enter a prompt, get a response, and return to whatever you were doing. It’s useful, but the AI remains a separate part of the interface.

Googlebook puts Gemini into more of the things you do on the laptop. One example is Magic Pointer, developed with Google DeepMind. It turns the cursor into a way to access Gemini features directly.

Point at a date in an email, for example, and Gemini can offer to schedule a meeting. Select two images, and it can merge or compare them. There’s also Create My Widget, which lets you describe the information you want in a dashboard. You could ask for flight details, hotel bookings, and dinner reservations for a trip, and Gemini can put that information together using Gmail, Calendar, and the web.

Google is also using Gemini Nano v3 on the device for tasks such as file search. This means some tasks, including summarizing a document, can be handled on the laptop without sending the file to the cloud first. Google has already used a similar on-device approach on phones such as the OnePlus 13, and Googlebook brings it to the laptop.

Chromebook users can still access Gemini through Chrome, but it doesn’t have the same level of integration with the operating system.

What you can actually buy, and how much it costs

Pre-orders for the first five Googlebooks are now open, with sales starting October 4. Prices range from $899 to $1,299, with each manufacturer offering a slightly different configuration:

• Acer Googlebook 14 — Priced at $899, it’s the cheapest model and the only 2-in-1 in the lineup. It has a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra 5 or Ultra 7 processors, and up to 16 hours of claimed battery life.
• ASUS Googlebook 14 — At $1,299, this is the most expensive model. It’s also the lightest at 1.0kg and has the most ports among the five laptops.
• Dell XPS Googlebook — Uses a Snapdragon X Elite processor and shares much of its design with the XPS 13. It has two USB-C ports.
• HP Googlebook — Also comes with a Snapdragon X Elite chip and offers up to 1TB of storage, the highest capacity in the lineup. It supports both face and fingerprint unlock.
• Lenovo Googlebook — Has the largest display at 15.3 inches, with a 2880×1800 OLED panel running at 120Hz. It’s also the only model available in white. Lenovo has added a “Glowbar” light strip to the lid for battery and charging information, along with a dedicated Google key on the keyboard that is expected to provide quick access to Gemini.

All five models come with a 12-month Google AI Pro subscription, 5TB of cloud storage, and three months of YouTube Premium, Photoshop, and CapCut. Google is also promising up to 10 years of system updates, matching the update period already offered with Chromebooks.

The pricing is quite different from the Chromebook lineup. Entry-level Chromebooks start at around $179, while Chromebook Plus models such as the ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 are closer to $400. Even more expensive Chromebook Plus configurations generally stay below $800.

Googlebook sits in a different price range. With prices starting at $899, it’s positioned alongside premium laptops such as the MacBook Air rather than the budget and mid-range Chromebook market.

So is the Chromebook dead? No.

Google has been clear that Chromebooks and Chromebook Plus aren’t going anywhere. Both will continue to receive up to 10 years of updates, and schools and businesses can keep managing them through the same admin console they already use. Google executive Sameer Samat has also said Googlebook is intended for people who already use Android, rather than specifically targeting MacBook users.

That Android connection does come with some requirements. Cast My Apps and Quick Access, which let you stream phone apps and access files from your phone on the laptop, require an Android phone running Android 17 or later.

iPhone users can’t use those features for now. Google says iPhone support is coming, but it hasn’t announced when it will be available.

For someone who mainly browses the web, needs an affordable and durable laptop, or is buying computers for a classroom, the existing Chromebook lineup still makes sense within Google’s range. Googlebook is for users who want Android to play a bigger role on their laptop, along with deeper Gemini integration and closer connections with their phone.

The two platforms are therefore serving different parts of Google’s laptop lineup rather than one replacing the other. The main difference is that Googlebook starts at $899, while Chromebooks remain available at much lower prices.

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MediaTek is branching out. Today the company introduced its first chip built specifically for a new kind of AI-focused laptop, kicking off a dedicated series aimed at thin, capable machines that mix mobile-style efficiency with traditional laptop power.

The chip is called the Dimensity CX C10 Max, the first in MediaTek’s new Dimensity CX “Computing Experience” lineup. It’s made on TSMC’s 3nm process and is designed for Googlebook devices, Google’s upcoming flagship laptops that blend Android and ChromeOS with deep Gemini AI integration.

These machines will come from partners like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, and they’re promising up to 10 years of software support, solid on-device AI features, and smooth Android app compatibility.

Under the hood, the Dimensity CX C10 Max uses an eight-core “all-big” CPU setup: one Cortex-X925, three Cortex-X4s, and four Cortex-A720s, plus 12MB of L3 cache and 10MB of system-level cache. Graphics come from an 11-core Immortalis-G925 GPU. For AI work, it packs MediaTek’s eighth-generation NPU that can hit up to 55 TOPS, so features like contextual help and local file summarization can run on-device without constantly hitting the cloud.

It also includes the Imagiq 1090 image signal processor, which supports cameras up to 32MP and is tuned for good video calls, HDR, and smooth zoom. Connectivity covers 7.3Gbps Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0. Memory goes up to LPDDR5X-9600, storage is UFS 4.0, and the chip supports three PCIe Gen4 lanes, one full-featured USB 5Gbps port, two eUSB2v2 ports, and three 4K video outputs for multi-monitor setups.

MediaTek is pitching this as a power-efficient option that should help manufacturers build thinner, lighter, and possibly even fanless laptops with strong all-day battery life. It’s already lined up to power an upcoming Lenovo Googlebook and will sit alongside Intel and Qualcomm chips in the first wave of these devices.

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(Source: MediaTek)

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Google’s Android-based laptop platform is finally shipping. Four months after confirming it was building an Android-based alternative to the Chromebook, and just days after leaked Lenovo renders gave us an early look, Google and five hardware partners have opened pre-orders for the first Googlebooks. They are available to order now, with sales beginning on October 4.

Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo each have a model, with prices ranging from $899 to $1,299. The lineup includes everything from a 2-in-1 to a 15.3-inch laptop, giving buyers several hardware options.

Every Googlebook comes with a 12-month Google AI Pro subscription and 5TB of cloud storage. Buyers also get three months of YouTube Premium, Photoshop, and CapCut. Google says Googlebooks will receive system updates for up to 10 years.

Googlebook hardware

The Acer Googlebook 14 is the only 2-in-1 in the launch lineup and starts at $899. Acer has already warned that the launch price could increase if memory shortages continue to raise component costs. It has a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra 5 or Ultra 7 processors, and up to 16 hours of claimed battery life.

The ASUS Googlebook 14 costs $1,299. It has the most ports among the launch models and weighs just 1.0kg, making it the lightest option in the lineup.

Dell’s XPS Googlebook uses a Snapdragon X Elite processor and closely follows the design of the XPS 13, including its glow finish. Connectivity is limited to two USB-C ports.

HP also uses the Snapdragon X Elite and offers up to 1TB of storage, which is the largest storage option among the launch models. It also supports both face and fingerprint unlocking.

Lenovo’s Googlebook has the largest display at 15.3 inches and is the only model available in a white finish.

Googlebook OS and Gemini features

Googlebook OS combines elements of Android and ChromeOS, with Gemini built into several parts of the experience. 

One of the main features is Magic Pointer. When you move the cursor over something on the screen, Gemini can offer suggestions based on what you’re viewing. You can then follow up and open a chat window for more help.

Google is also using its smaller on-device Gemini Nano v3 model for file searches. Instead of sending files to the cloud, the model can summarize content locally on the laptop. Google has been using a similar on-device approach on phones such as the OnePlus 13.

Android integration is another major part of Googlebook OS. Users can run Android phone apps directly on the laptop, transfer files and photos between devices without going through the cloud, and continue tasks across devices.

Google executive Sameer Samat has said the platform is primarily aimed at Android users rather than people looking to move away from MacBooks. Google also plans to add iPhone connectivity in the future, although it has not provided a timeline yet.

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Google introduced the Googlebook platform at its I/O 2026 event in May, marking the beginning of a new chapter for its laptop ecosystem. At the time, the company confirmed it was working with Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to develop the first wave of Googlebooks. Now, a new report from Digital Citizen has shared what appears to be the first complete look at Lenovo’s upcoming Googlebook 15, revealing both its hardware design and several software details.

Lenovo Googlebook 15’s design revealed

The leaked renders suggest the Lenovo Googlebook 15 adopts a premium design with slim display bezels, a silver finish, and a large trackpad. One of the biggest changes is the keyboard, which replaces the traditional Windows key with a dedicated Google key that is expected to provide quick access to Gemini.

The function row also includes dedicated shortcuts for screenshot, microphone mute, accessibility, brightness, keyboard backlight, media controls, and what appears to be a profile switch button. Unlike many 15-inch laptops, the device skips a numeric keypad in favour of a centred keyboard layout.

The report also reveals a generous selection of ports, including HDMI, dual USB-C ports, USB-A, a card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Other hardware highlights include a webcam notch with a built-in physical privacy shutter, Dolby Atmos branding, speaker grilles on both sides of the keyboard, and a display hinge that opens up to 157.5 degrees.

While the hardware is interesting, Google’s software experience could be the biggest change. At I/O 2026, Google revealed that Googlebook combines Android and ChromeOS into a single desktop platform built on Android’s technology stack. This allows Android apps to run natively while enabling direct access to files stored on an Android phone through Quick Access.

Google also introduced Magic Pointer, which brings Gemini into everyday interactions by offering contextual actions based on where the cursor is placed. Other announced features include Create Your Widget, which lets Gemini generate personalized desktop widgets using information from apps such as Gmail and Google Calendar.

The leaked interface appears to match Google’s preview, showing an Android-style status bar, a redesigned taskbar, Gemini integration, and several Google apps alongside Adobe Premiere Pro, hinting that Googlebook is targeting more demanding workflows than traditional Chromebooks.

Lenovo is to announce the Googlebook 15 officially, and specifications such as the processor, memory, storage, display resolution, battery capacity, and pricing remain under wraps. Readers can visit the above-mentioned publication to checkout more images of the device.

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(source)

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Google is trying something new with laptops. Fifteen years after introducing the Chromebook, the company has announced the Googlebook. Instead of ChromeOS, these new laptops will run on an Android-based operating system that heavily integrates its Gemini Intelligence.

The basic idea is to combine the standard Chrome browser with standard Android apps. The most noticeable change is how you interact with the mouse. Google and DeepMind built a feature called Magic Pointer.

If you wiggle your cursor, Gemini pops up to offer contextual actions based on what’s on your screen. For example, pointing at a date in an email can create a calendar event, or selecting two images can merge them visually. It’s a different approach to standard clicking.

It also includes a prompt-based widget maker. You can type what you need, and Gemini will pull information from your Google apps or the web to make a custom widget. If you’re planning a trip, it can gather your flight details and hotel reservations into one temporary spot on your screen.

Because it runs on Android, the OS is designed to work closely with Android phones. You can open your phone apps on the laptop screen to reply to a message or finish a quick task. It also offers a Quick Access feature that lets you browse your phone’s files directly from the laptop’s file manager without having to transfer them to the cloud first.

Google is working with Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to build the hardware. The laptops are expected to use higher-end materials and will feature a physical glowbar to distinguish them from regular Chromebooks. There is no word on pricing or an exact release date yet, but Google says more details are coming later this year.

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(Google)

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